Met Office forecast's a hot start to October for the North East

Naomi Ackerman

An Indian summer is on its way with an unusually hot start to October forecast on the back of one of the warmest Septembers in recent years.

The Met Office said people across most of England can expect to enjoy the first week of the month without a coat as temperatures are likely to climb above 20 degrees Celsius (68F).

Things are heating up.

Tuesday September 13 was the hottest September day in Britain for more than a century when the mercury soared to a blistering 34.4C (93.9F) in Gravesend, Kent.

The average UK temperature for September over the last 30 years is 16.5C (61.7F), which September this year is expected to beat comfortably by several degrees.

And October will also begin with a warm spell, according to forecasters.

Met Office forecaster Emma Sharples said: "There will be warmer than normal weather for the beginning of autumn.

"The 30-year average for September is 17.8C (64F) for England and 16.5C (61.7F) for the UK.

"The average temperature for September 2016 can't be confirmed yet, but the indicative trend is that it will be a few degrees above average.

"Even though this weekend and the beginning of October next week will see nothing like the 34C (93.2F) heat of a few weeks ago, next week will be fairly pleasant for the time of year. We expect to see temperatures breaking above 20C (68F)."

But Ms Sharples warned people to get too carried away as the weekend will also see showers which will may cool things down.

She added: "Even though the weekend will see temperatures across the UK in the high teens, temperature is not the whole picture.

"There will be quite a few showers, so it will not feel particularly warm."